Most reliable shop mgmt program?

[ZooCity]

We're done with the current nonsense of our mgmt program.  It was offline for 72 hours.  Just got back on today.   I see other posts and have trialed ones with bugs right from the install.  This blows my mind that anyone would make a product that can so dramatically affect a business yet release it with issues and fail to support it.  There's a serious responsibility here, if you can't step up and hold your end, don't offer the product. 

Who's program is most reliable, most robust?  No bugs, backed up, minimal downtime, reasonable support. 

I'm at the point where I will give up features for a professional product that won't evaporate on us or cause major pricing errors.  I wish more than anything there was a mac or web-based option that was robust enough but there isn't. I'll deal with networking macs to windows and running VMs.  I'll wince but bear through invoices that have design features unbecoming of a business that makes it's living reproducing art. 

I'm going to call shopworks but I'm sure sticker shock will ensue.  T-Cal looks like a viable option too.  Have I missed anything? 

[Socalfmf]

we use priceit and have for about 10 yrs.  we love it and it does way more than we use it for.

[ericheartsu]

although i've had my public issues with T-works, it's been WAY more reliable lately, and Joe really has been working hard to up his game.

[blue moon]

I really like TeeCal, it runs great and provides a ton of functionality. The only downfall is that if something goes wrong, you have to restore from the backup rather than having a repair database option. It runs pretty good and it very rarely has any issues and those were addressed as fast or faster than 244 can get back to you on an M&R problem!

Also, something to think about is Shopworx is going to cloud based with version 8 (coming out this month). It is very expensive, but might be worth it. We will probably be switching come Jan 2015 to eliminate the need for QuickBooks and gain some advanced functionality.

pierre

[ZooCity]

although i've had my public issues with T-works, it's been WAY more reliable lately, and Joe really has been working hard to up his game.

How reliable?  I downloaded a trial a little while back and found a couple bugs right out of the gates.  I'm instituting a zero tolerance for bullshit software policy around here.

Pierre, I watched a lot of TeeCal vids on your suggestion and was impressed.  It's top of list right now.  We could really use inventory features. 

If shopworks goes web-based I'll probably grit my teeth and pay for it.  I know it's 100% worth it for larger plants, 10k+ is nothing to improve efficiency and reduce errors but it's tougher to evaluate for a smaller shop like us.  We're one shift, one auto, 4-8 employees with only up to 6 really needing access to the mgmt software.

If you want to ditch quickbooks, check out Xero.  It's cloud based and very nice.  Reporting is a little goofy but it's performed great for us.

[Homer]

we have a web based management program for the sign shop and it is really awesome, but we use T-Quoter for shirts...it's meh, nothing to get excited about... I wouldn't put it on your "look into" list....

[ebscreen]

Filemaker and a lot of time.

The best are based on it as is.

I know we are screen printers and not database coders but the fact is no off the shelf software
will do exactly what you want how you want. I'm not going to adapt my workflow to fit theirs. Other
way around.

Super stable, in 3 years or so never had an issue (that I didn't create) and the main core is cross platform,
though addons and various functionality can be OS dependent.

I got so mad at Qucikbooks yesterday trying to perform some mundane stupid task that I'm now going to start coding
a book keeping side to our database. It currently interfaces with QB but I'd much rather have it all in one place
and tell Intuit to kick rocks.

[tancehughes]

Doesn't sound like you want t works then. We have It and while it has the potential to be an outstanding program, it does have small bugs that really "bug" you at times. However for a small shop like us, it does us pretty good


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[screenprintguy]

PriceIt has really made things glorious in the office here!!!!

[ZooCity]

Our current program, T-Boss has tons of potential but I don't really give a rip about potential if the software isn't available consistently or core features don't work.

eb, I concur that building a database ground up is the only path toward full satisfaction. Our needs are really pretty simple at the core, building it web based would be straight ahead for adding some bells and whistles and linking api to other apps but I have no time for it and I reckon the tab for having someone build it for us would be close to the cost of a Shopworx license. 

[ericheartsu]

I have a friend who is a very very very talented web coder and designer. Problem is, it's his real job. So i've had time when i've asked him to build us stuff, and he does, and we pay for it, but there are issues sometimes, and it takes forever to get him to fix it.

But i've been pushing him to build an online sort of shop management.

My only concern would be if his work load gets crazy, and something pops up with the software, it could be a while before he gets around to it.

[TCT]

We have used PriceIt for years and really like it. I'm am almost positive they have a Mac version. We use it on the local network and remote into it. I can't say we have ever had any down time, ever. There a lot of features in it we don't use (probably should) and they have always been great if we call for a modification or something. Only thing they haven't done that I asked was integrate a inventory  management system that read barcodes.
Good program though!

[Sparkie]

Show me a list of requested features and I'll contact some of my coding buddies and see if anyone wants to tackle it. I'd do it myself, but I'd have to retire from screen printing.....hmmmm that doesn't sound like a bad idea at all.

[starchild]

Show me a list of requested features and I'll contact some of my coding buddies and see if anyone wants to tackle it. I'd do it myself, but I'd have to retire from screen printing.....hmmmm that doesn't sound like a bad idea at all.

If you're a coder then you know that writing the code is not the problem.. It's what to write is the killer.. It's like writing/producing/directing a movie off the top of your head, that's why it becomes a team effort for the project to be timely. I watched a couple of these program's training videos to see what functions users require and after doing a database schema and some story boarding and wire framing I just abandoned it.. I kinda just took parts that I found useful and incorporated it into a store that I'm working on..

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[whitewater]

We us priceit..on our macs..

We used t-works until it crashed that one time. Joe did help me finally but we already went to priceit but that time.

How can priceit not work for you?

Whenever i have any sort of issue whatsoever, which is only if some rollback or whatever, lol, i call, i talk to someone right away.

You NEVER have to worry about being left in the air waiting...that right there is worth it.

Tech support is HUGE.